Free Away With the Fairies by Jenny Twist Page B

And when June just looked at her, uncomprehending, she went on, “Like those pictures, you know? The ones where you squinch your eyes and suddenly they go all real and you can look inside them and round the corners.” June had been disheartened by this. She had never been able to get the 3D pictures to work. Had, in fact, not really believed that it could be done, that people just said they could see it to annoy her. But she had dutifully stared at the wall and crossed and uncrossed her eyes until her head ached and her eyes were sore. But nothing happened.
    But maybe now it would. Now she knew it could happen. Now she had seen it with her own eyes. She opened her eyes and stared at the wall and squinched as hard as she could.
     
    The bit of torn paper remained impassive. Now and again she thought she could see just a suggestion of green light, but it went away again, so maybe it was just her eyes playing tricks. Eventually, feeling dispirited and miserable, she got up to go. But, just as she stood up, she glanced back at the wall, and it was happening! The green light danced over the white surface, then suddenly coalesced into a recognisable picture, the green wood. Afraid to look away in case it disappeared again, she edged her way back onto the bed and stared into Fairyland.
    It was a rather gloomy wood, but June thought that was probably because the trees were keeping the light out, rather than that it was night in there. At first it was so still that it might have been a photograph, and then, out of the corner of her eye, she saw something run rapidly up a tree. It was gone before she had time to focus, so she couldn't be sure what it was. A squirrel, maybe? But it had seemed to be the wrong colour for a squirrel, greenish, like the trunks of the trees and the ground beneath. But then, who knew what colour squirrels would be in Fairyland?
    As her eyes became accustomed to the gloom, she could make out more and more. Butterflies clinging to the trunks of the trees, their wings iridescent and predominantly green; small creatures scurrying about amongst the leaf mould under the trees; fungi and small bluebell-like flowers. All of them looking green in the dim light.
    After a while, she became aware that something was staring back at her. It was in the tree which the squirrel-like creature had run up. May even be the squirrel. A pair of bright eyes staring out of the foliage. Straight back at her!
    She reared back a bit, but didn't look away. She daren't risk losing the picture.
    The creature stared back, unblinking. Bit by bit she began to make out details. Definitely not a squirrel. Its face was, in fact, very human-like, but with rather pointy ears. And its eyes were a bit too big, reminding her of pictures of bush babies. Furthermore, she was almost sure it was wearing clothes! Surely not! But, unless his skin was very green indeed, he certainly seemed to be clothed. And the hat was unmistakable. A fairy!
    She peered deeper into the picture, trying to see whether it had wings. But it was impossible to tell. It was so dark behind him, under the trees, and anyway, he could have them folded up.
    June and the fairy stared at each other for what seemed like a long time. Then, suddenly, the fairy leapt forward, straight at her! June gave a little scream and scuttled backwards. The wall snapped back into place with an audible pop, and Fairyland, complete with the fairy, disappeared.
     
    June sat on her own bed, further away from the wall, near the window. She was shaking so hard she could hear the mattress underneath her making little creaking noises as it moved with her. The wall was definitely back to normal now. Not even a hint of green. She drew a deep breath. She wanted to run away, go downstairs to Mum, but she couldn't bear the thought of watching her mother cry when she knew where Lucy was, and wasn't doing anything about it. And Mitzy! A great wave of guilt washed over her. She hadn't thought about the poor little